1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is related to accessing and viewing Internet content, and more specifically to a method and apparatus for providing a unique frame, independent of a Web Browser application and window, for the retrieval and display of such content.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A user operating a client computer typically accesses the Internet by using a viewer application, such as a browser to view Internet content provided at a destination address, typically a web page. In this context, Internet content and web applications are designed to fill the entire web page. It is known to divide the Internet content into different regions of a single web page. For example, personalized web pages can be specified, such that a user views a variety of content sources in a single page, such as stock information, weather information, and sports information, which is aggregated at the server that delivers the web page to the user, who then views the aggregated content in a single web page. Observe that even when disparate content is aggregated, in this manner, it is reassembled into a full web page and is served through a full-screen browser.
Users and application developers therefore have limited control over the presentation of internet content: content is typically trapped within the frame of the browser. A developer's only alternative to engaging a user page-by-page in a browser is to develop, distribute, and support custom client software. In the Web browser scenario, it is the content provider, not the user that aggregates the information that is viewed by the user. Thus, the user is not in a position to separately aggregate the content at a client computer, instead the user is constrained to view the content that has been delivered in the manner provided by the server computer hosting the web page. There is a growing desire for individual users to fully control the aggregation and presentation of content and web applications that appears on a client computer.
A user who wishes to view multiple web pages or applications can open multiple instances of a browser. However, the user will not be able to view each “full-screen” page at the same time. Instead, the user must adjust the windows corresponding to each browser instance and view only part of each page. The information appearing in each browser is not designed for viewing in this manner. Thus, the user cannot create an optimized display of content from multiple sources.
Currently, content providers and end users have limited tools to alter the browser in which content appears. That is, the controls associated with a browser are not fully configurable. Thus, the vendor of a browser is in a position to brand the browser and regulate the controls associated with the browser. There is a growing desire for content providers to not only fill a browser with their content, but to also fully brand and control the frame in which the content appears. Further, in some instances, content providers desire to limit the controls associated with a browser or viewer, so that a user is more inclined to view a single set of content, for example, by having limited access to previously viewed content. However, the current browser applications provide very limited control to a user or content provide to alter the frame and controls provided by the browser window.
In summary, therefore, the current model of the Internet has the following attributes and limitations:                a) Internet content is typically viewed one page at a time, with each page displayed serially displayed in a browser application window which typically takes up the majority of the user's computer screen real estate.        b) Internet content is designed for delivery in web pages. Even if content is modularized, it is reassembled into a full web page and viewed serially in the window of browser application taking up a significant portion of the user's desktop.        c) There is a distinction both visually and architecturally between the “viewer application” (browser) and the “content/document” (web page) such that a browser window is not tailored to the content being displayed, but rather is capable of displaying any web content.        d) Internet content is effectively limited and trapped within the “frame” of the browser (viewer application). Therefore, content developers, users and web-application developers are limited in how the user experience is controlled.        e) Although internet programming technologies (such as Java script, CSS, layers, flash, etc.) are giving web pages more functionality, the pages have limited access to application functionality such as access and control of the window and frame, the size of the frame, branding, application behavior such as size and menu items, etc.        f) “Web-applications” such as web-mail and web calendars are being packaged and viewed through the page-by-page web model. Even though web-applications are being implemented by many online companies, the web is currently a destination page-based model where, for example, a user visits one page, then goes to another page and so on. It is therefore a sequential, linear experience, e.g., one full page at a time.        
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art to provide a technique for accessing multiple instances of distributable computer readable web content in which these instances are typically smaller than the full pages used in current web pages and web applications, and which may be displayed in user- or content provider-controlled frames. Preferably, such techniques allow such access to be done simultaneously. There is a further need for providing the user with flexibility in selecting, collecting, relating and viewing such web content and for giving the content provider flexibility in directing media to a specific user and controlling the framework in which media, such as web content, is presented. Finally, there is a need to gather more accurate information regarding the type of content that a user enjoys, so that the user can be automatically provided with this content.